Been trying to find an excuse to link to Square America. And today, I found one! If you are not already a fan of S.A., it's a site specializing in vernacular photography, i.e. snapshots found in thrift stores and estate sales. I was introduced to the world of vernacular photography through John Foster's amazing "Accidental Mysteries" show at the Sheldon (way back, I believe, in 2005? Yikes!) I've mentioned John's addictive Accidental Mysteries blog here a few times, and you should check that out too - his latest post is about Nikes made from recycled computer parts (though of course that means they are no longer sneakers -- metal shoes are not very sneaky). Check out the post just prior to that, too -- it's on an artist who folds paper. Which sounds boring as hell, but believe me, it will blow your mind.
In any case, I am sure I discovered Square America through John's blog. I guess it doesn't really matter. Right now, my favorite gallery there is A Letter from the Vanishing World (The Readers), though I'm also pretty partial to this collection documenting musicians, including a pretty glorious Tammy Wynette wannabe.
Which brings me back to the St. Louis connection. It turns out Square America not only posts vernacular photography, but vernacular recordings, including this really wonderful version of "St. Louis Blues by a very drunk serviceman recorded in the mid-late 1940s," flash-pressed at a "Pepsi-Cola Center," for military men, where they could get free shaves, free showers, free Pepsi, and, apparently, record a message to send home to the little lady. I would love to know what this guy's girlfriend thought after pulling this out of a brown paper sleeve and throwing it on the turntable... --Stefene Russell
